UCLan plays host to editors from around the globe

By UK Journalism

The Department of Journalism has played host to editors from around the world in a study tour of the UK.

UCLan was the only university to be included on the study tour- an honour bestowed because of the ground-breaking work in digital journalism which UCLan has done in partnership with Johnston Press.

They were shown how the department helped Johnston Press pilot the UK’s first fully-integrated newsroom through local newspaper the Lancashire Evening Post by it’s editor, Simon Reynolds.

Delegates from the World Editors Forum, the only network exclusively dedicated to senior newsroom editors from across the globe, came to UCLan after visiting some of the country’s prominent media organisations including the Guardian, The Times, Daily Telegraph and the BBC’s college of Journalism.

Speakers included the head of the journalism department, Mike Ward, Johnston Press Editorial Development Executive, David Rowell, Editor of the Lancashire Evening Post, Simon Reynolds and the Johnston Press Chair in Digital Journalism, Professor Jane Singer.

Digital platforms

Simon Reynolds said: “We took on things that we wouldn’t have been able to do without the help of UCLan and learned how digital platforms are introduced.”

The digital roll-out across the group, which is one of the UK’s largest regional newspaper groups, has so far seen over 200 staff visit UCLan for a week’s intensive training with a focus on video training.

David Rowell said: “The biggest challenge for local weeklies was to think about 24/7 news. We have been taught a different way of storytelling and been introduced to new technology.”

Simon Reynolds added: “Our relationship with UCLan has opened doors and allowed us to build relationships with people all over the world.”

Professor Jane Singer also addressed the delegates and spoke about her role in drawing the UCLan-Johnston Press relationship together to exploit new digital technologies.

The editors then went onto conclude their tour of the UK by visiting the Manchester Evening News which became a multimedia platform last year.

More info
BA (Hons) Digital Journalism
World Editors Forum

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Our print and broadcast courses are accredited by the The Broadcast Journalism Training Council and the National Council for the Training of Journalists. Our MA Magazine Journalism is accredited by the Periodicals Training Council.